Hand-held device for a programmable control unit

ABSTRACT

Operating values of an electronic operating system ( 2 ), e.g., power switch or motor drive, are parameterized with a hand-held control device ( 6 ) with a display device ( 10 ) for displaying operating parameters via transmission means ( 5 ) to a data store ( 31 ) of the hand-held control device ( 6 ) following connection of the latter to the operating system ( 2 ). A microprocessor circuit ( 25 ) in the hand-held control device ( 6 ) facilitates the detection of altered operating parameters and the transfer of those altered parameters back to the control unit ( 3 ) of the operating system ( 2 ).

[0001] The present invention concerns a manual operation device for connection to a control unit designed as a tripping device of an electronic device such as a circuit breaker or motor drive, the control unit having a programmable memory circuit for storing performance characteristics, and the manual operation device also having a display device for display of performance characteristics transmitted to the manual operation device from the control unit by a transmission means and being provided with a microprocessor circuit and an electronic data storage to store the performance characteristics transmitted from the control unit.

[0002] A manual operation device of this type has become known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,605. In conjunction with circuit breakers, transmission of data from the control units to the manual operation apparatus is provided to simplify the electronic overcurrent trip units of the circuit breakers by providing only one manual operation apparatus for displaying the set parameters of multiple circuit breakers. There are no provisions for transmitting data in the opposite direction.

[0003] Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,816 A1 describes a setting aid for the tripping curve of a switching device of a circuit breaker. The setting aid has the form of a matrix arrangement of plug-in orifices for programming pins. This limits the function of the setting aid to setting a tripping characteristic curve of a microcomputer of the protective device.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to make available a manual operation apparatus with expanded functions, so that it can be used not only for circuit breakers but also for other devices, such as motor control units, that are equipped with programmable electronic trip units.

[0005] According to the present invention, this object is achieved by the fact that the manual operation apparatus has a keypad for creating altered performance characteristics and for storing these altered performance characteristics in the electronic data memory, and the altered performance characteristics can be transmitted back out of the electronic data memory to the control unit of the electric device over the transmission means.

[0006] By using a manual operation apparatus according to the present invention, when connected to the respective device, such as a circuit breaker or a motor control unit, the user is provided with a display showing which operating parameters and optionally which status values and diagnostic values are currently stored or programmed in the control unit. These parameters are entered into the electronic data memory of the manual operation apparatus, where they are then available for processing. The parameters can be altered either with the existing connection to the control unit of the device or after being separated from the device. Due to the fact that the performance characteristics are stored in the manual operation apparatus, it is possible in particular to set the trip units of multiple devices, e.g., multiple circuit breakers in a low-voltage switching station, at the same performance characteristics.

[0007] The application range of the manual operation apparatus can be further expanded in an advantageous manner by also providing a variable program memory for storing an application program adapted to the performance characteristics to be processed. It is possible in this way to load the manual operation apparatus with an application program adapted to different circuit breakers or motor control units so that the presentation, retrieval and modification of the performance characteristics can be processed in a well-defined manner.

[0008] To facilitate use of the various above-mentioned application programs for the manual operation apparatus, an internal operating system for the microprocessor circuit may be provided with a test routine for the presence of an application program installed in the memory circuit of the control unit for the purpose of transfer to the program memory. This test routine can take place automatically as soon as the manual operation apparatus has been connected to the respective device and activated.

[0009] Accordingly, a method of parameterization of performance characteristics of an electric device using a manual operation apparatus having the design explained above, where the device has an electronic control unit with a memory circuit for the performance characteristics, may include the following process steps:

[0010] connecting the manual operation apparatus to the device,

[0011] reading out and displaying on the display device the performance characteristics stored in the memory circuit of the control unit,

[0012] storing the data corresponding to the performance characteristics thus read out under a selectable address in the data memory of the manual operation apparatus,

[0013] altering at least one performance characteristic by entering at least one command on the manual operation apparatus,

[0014] transmitting the altered performance characteristic to the control unit and acknowledgment of the completed transmission to the manual operation apparatus, and

[0015] disconnecting the manual operation apparatus from the device.

[0016] A modified method according to the present invention likewise serves to parameterize performance characteristics of an electric device using a manual operation apparatus which also contains a variable program memory for storing an application program adapted to the performance characteristics to be processed. The following process steps are provided:

[0017] connecting the manual operation apparatus to the device,

[0018] reading out and displaying on the display device the performance characteristics stored in the memory circuit of the control unit,

[0019] storing the data corresponding to the performance characteristics thus read out under a selectable address in the data memory of the manual operation apparatus,

[0020] disconnecting the manual operation apparatus from the device,

[0021] altering the performance characteristics, optionally using the application program transmitted previously, and

[0022] reconnecting the manual operation apparatus to the same device or an identical device and transmitting the altered performance characteristics to the electronic control unit of the device.

[0023] The present invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the figures.

[0024]FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of part of the low-voltage switching station with four circuit breakers indicated and with one manual operation apparatus.

[0025]FIG. 2 shows an enlarged diagram of the manual operation apparatus according to FIG. 1.

[0026]FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the manual operation apparatus according to FIG. 2.

[0027]FIG. 1 shows two panels of a low-voltage switching station 1, each having two low-voltage circuit breakers 2 arranged one above the other. Each of the low-voltage circuit breakers 2 has an electronic control unit 3 in the form of an electronic trip unit. Control unit 3 contains a memory circuit for storing the performance characteristics of each circuit breaker 2 in a known way. These include in particular the rated current and tripping characteristics which depend on it, as well as a tripping characteristic curve based on the rated current. For the purposes of data transmission, each control unit 2 is provided with a bidirectional connection jack 4 which can be connected to a manual operation apparatus 6 by a connecting line 5.

[0028] Details of manual operation apparatus 6 are now explained with reference to FIG. 2. Manual operation apparatus 6 has dimensions suitable for generous use based on other known manual operation apparatuses. A display device 10, which may be a two-line LCD display, for example, is provided on a front control panel 7 at the top. Below display device 10 there is a keypad 11 on control panel 7 having a top row of function keys 12, 13, 14 and 15 and a switch 16 for turning manual operation apparatus 6 on and off. Below this row of function keys there are direction keys 17, 18, 19 and 20 which have arrows and an input key 21. Connecting line 5 mentioned with reference to FIG. 1 comes into the top end face of manual operation apparatus 6.

[0029] Before discussing the details of operation, the design of manual operation apparatus 6 shall be explained first with reference to the block diagram in FIG. 3. A microprocessor unit 25 with a read/write memory 26, a read-only memory 27 and a writable and erasable program memory 30. Furthermore, manual operation apparatus 6 has a second data memory 31 and above-mentioned display device 10 plus keypad 11, shown in simplified form. Furthermore, manual operation apparatus 6 is provided with a power supply device including a battery 32 and a high-capacity storage capacitor 34 that can be charged via a diode 33. Additional data memory 31 is thus buffered even when power is withdrawn from battery 32. Manual operation apparatus 6 is connected by above-mentioned connecting line 5 to control unit 3, where a microprocessor 35 and a memory circuit 36 are indicated.

[0030] After connecting manual operation apparatus 6 to a circuit breaker 2 approximately according to FIG. 1 and turning on manual operation apparatus 6 using switch 16, the user can first select a desired menu by operating arrow keys 17, 18, 19 and 20. If the device is a circuit breaker, as shown in FIG. 1, a menu for the protective functions of circuit breaker 2 may be provided in particular. In addition to displaying for the user numerical values for performance characteristics, e.g. a 1200 A tripping current according to FIG. 2, display device 10 may indicate which mode manual operation apparatus 6 is in and how the displayed values can be altered. An altered value is confirmed by operating input key 21 after the set value has been incremented or decremented by using arrow keys 18 and 20. Above-mentioned function keys 12, 13, 14 and 15 may optionally be allocated to group functions. One of the function keys may also be wired as a reset key (RESET).

[0031] The data to be processed is not only stored in read-write memory 26 of microprocessor unit 25 but is also available in additional data memory 31, where it remains if the connection between circuit breaker and manual operation apparatus 6 is broken. In this way, a data record transmitted by control unit 2 can be processed in manual operation apparatus 6, i.e., the various performance characteristics can be altered and stored in altered form. Then, manual operation apparatus 6 can be connected to the same circuit breaker 2 or another circuit breaker 2 as illustrated to transmit the altered performance characteristics to control units 3. The operating mode described here makes it enormously easier to make adjustments that are necessary for operating reasons in large-scale switching stations or equipment plants.

[0032] In addition, it is indicated in FIG. 1 that manual operation apparatus 6 can be connected to a portable compact computer 40 by a connecting line 37. Since the computer has a high quality display screen, not only can individual performance characteristics be displayed in this way, but in addition, all performance characteristics transmitted from control unit 3 to manual operation apparatus 6 plus optional status values or diagnostic values can also be displayed in an easy-to-read form, such as tables. It is likewise possible for the performance characteristics to be processed by compact computer 40 by using a modified application program, and there is the possibility of displaying characteristics graphically because of the larger display screen. Then the altered set of performance characteristics can be transmitted back to manual operation apparatus 6 over connecting line 37. Although, as indicated in FIG. 1, it is possible to connect compact computer 40 directly to one control unit 3 of a circuit breaker 2 using a connecting line 41, it is advisable for the processing of performance characteristics described here to be performed outside the switching station by connecting manual operation apparatus 6 and compact computer 40 in one office, for example. 

1. Manual operation apparatus (6) for connection to a control unit (3) which is designed as a trip unit and is provided for an electric device such as a circuit breaker (2) or a motor drive, the control unit having a programmable memory circuit (36) for storing performance characteristics, and the manual operation apparatus (6) having a display device (10) for displaying performance characteristics transmitted from the control unit (3) by a transmission means (5) to the manual operation apparatus (6) and being provided with an electronic data memory (31) for storing the performance characteristics transmitted from the control unit (3) and a microprocessor circuit (25), characterized in that the manual operation apparatus (6) has a keypad (11) for creating altered performance characteristics and for storing these altered performance characteristics in the electronic data memory (31), and the altered performance characteristics can be transmitted from the electronic data memory (31) to the control unit (3) of the electric device over the transmission means (5).
 2. Manual operation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a variable program memory (30) is also provided for storing an application program adapted to the performance characteristics to be processed.
 3. Manual operation apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by an operating system for the microprocessor circuit (25) with a test routine for determining the presence of an application program installed in the memory circuit (36) of the control unit (3) for the purpose of transmission to the program memory (30).
 4. Method of parameterizing performance characteristics of an electric device using a manual operation apparatus (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the following steps: connecting the manual operation apparatus (6) to the device (2), reading out and displaying on the display device (10) the performance characteristics stored in the memory circuit of the control unit (3), storing the data corresponding to the performance characteristics thus read out under a selectable address in the data memory (31) of the manual operation apparatus (6), altering at least one performance characteristic by entering at least one command on the manual operation apparatus (6), transmitting the altered performance characteristic to the control unit (3) and acknowledging the completed transmission to the manual operation apparatus, and disconnecting the manual operation apparatus (6) from the device (2).
 5. Method of parameterizing performance characteristics of an electric device (2) using a manual operation apparatus (6) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the following steps: connecting the manual operation apparatus (6) to the operational means (2), reading out and displaying on the display device (10) the performance characteristics stored in the memory circuit of the control unit (3), storing the data corresponding to the performance characteristics thus read out under a selectable address in the data memory (31) of the manual operation apparatus (6), disconnecting the manual operation apparatus (6) from the device, altering the performance characteristics by using the application program, reconnecting the manual operation apparatus (6) to the same device or an identical device and transmitting the altered performance characteristics to the electronic control unit (3) of the device. 